Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-05-28
LEONE LOCAL CHAT.

There is no question about Kansas
taking the fore in the advancement of
newly evolved principles and ideas,
as well as in a taste for decorating its
broad bosom with eastern "gilt edge"
paper and the popular silver medals
designed by Uncle Sam. Ff
1t has caught up the ballot box and
is handing itaround among the gent
Ter sex with as much expectancy as
the contribution box is presented to
them at collection; and now the
Legislature of that State go" one bet
ter,p and give the tender human
plants Of the soil, a freedom of which
the widest of woman's Fighters never
dreamed. They have passed a law to
the g-Where-it-will-e end effect,
that married woman need not take
her husbands name; I don't know
that they are very far "off' either.
1t has only been matter of custom;
there's never been any record to show
that Eve was called Mrs. Adam, and
you find no Mrs. Abraham, Isaac,
Jacob or so and so but then the law,
why it will take a commission to adj
just it in all its delicate social and po-
work of the Commission on the Inter-
state revolution will pale into dairy
milk complexion. Is it optional with
the children which parents name they
take, they can use both names law
fully, and several aliases have often
been known to come in handy; then
too some of the children may prefer
one name, the rest the others, and the
relationship be a puzzling cOmbi-
nation to strangers, and an enigma
for future branches of the house to
spend their time in solving. 1t would
efectually put an end to the 4" old
families"; and the blue blood Of Kan
sas would have to prove its claims to
recognition by something more SUBJ
stantial than claim upon a name.
Good names are all right and nobody
ought to object to having been born
OF a line of ancestry where brain and |
principle and good breeding were
paramount qualities, but there is
about as much nobility in persons who
continually air that information as
there would be likelihood of thor
oughbred animal picking at every
draught horse he met. |
If you hare any" blue blood,n ques-
tioning the ancestry Of your neighbors
is not good way to convince them of
1T. l know young lady or two in
this town whose families are so very
neao indeed that they cannot yet af-
ford to be introduced to people with
out strict inquiry concerning the col
oring matter used in their blood. [ |
have also the honor and pleasure of
knowing gentleman stopping in this
community who has travelled all over
Europe and profited by it, and at
whose home Henry Clay was an oft
time guest, but he does not proclaim
it from the house step. / happen
likewise to be very we'll acquainted
with a.woman whose ancestors reach
ed these shores before William Penn,
who possesses title deeds from; and
whose family upon the other branch,
are within a century's backward
glance to the throne of the Stuarts in
Scotland; think you know her too
certainly well enough to know that
she would never have spoken of An
cestry if you had not made it neces-
sary. Now about this law in Kansas
I'D almost ran away from it,-some-
body ought to amend it so as to allow
a man to take his wife'S name, and
reverse the marriage ceremony so as
to make him promise to do the obey
ing, and there is little left for the
strong minded to desire. Itwouldn't
be so far out of the way anyhow, for
nine times out of ten the married wo-
man succeeds by hook or crook the
words are fifty expressivel in making
her husband think as she does"
The Legislature of West Va. might
take hint from this body of Kansas
statesmen and make themselves a
name and notoriety, outside of legis-
lative routine.